The Mysterious Black Dress
by Shuffle Princess
Summary: It's my special day! And lookie what I found for myself: A Perfect Dress! But I didn't know that there's something really strange… 'Til the night that I did wear it. /One Shot/ /Mikan Sakura/


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Gakuen Alice and the characters used in the story. The plot was all I own.**

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><p><strong>Title: <strong>The Mysterious Black Dress

**Genre: **Horror, Suspense, Mystery

**Rating: **T (Just to be safe.)

**Summary: **It's my special day! And lookie what I found for myself: A Perfect Dress! But I didn't know that there's something really strange… 'Til the night that I did wear it.

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><p><strong>The Mysterious Black Dress<strong>

(A Gakuen Alice One Shot – Mikan Sakura)

Written by **LunarChan**

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><p>My eyes glued at the cheap dress store on the way home while the rain slightly drizzled outside. Tomorrow is probably the biggest day of my life and I haven't found a perfect outfit to begin with.<p>

"Mom," I began tapping her arm. We were experiencing heavy traffic, and I'm glad that we were, because I wouldn't find this store if we're not. "Look. Over there." I pointed.

"What is it, Mikan?" My Mom sighed as she honked at the car in front of us.

"A cheap dress store, Mom!" I exclaimed and turned to her with my puppy-pout face. "Mom, can you please buy me a dress?"

"At this time of hour, honey?" My Mom raised her brow at me. "No. I don't think so."

"But, Mom…!" I protested. "Tomorrow will be the biggest day of my life… and I don't have anything to wear."

"You have plenty of clothes, Mikan. Do you want me to lay it on your bed tonight? Just so you can see how many clothes you have – and you still don't have pictures of."

"But I don't like them, Mom." I grumbled. "Please, just… Please…?"

She sighed. Defeated. "Okay, fine."

"Yaay!" I sang and danced on the passenger seat. "Mom's gonna buy me a dress!"

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><p>"Mom, is this alright?" I asked, turning around ever so often for her to see me perfectly at every angle.<p>

"Uh, sure." She nodded. Her eyes not taking off of the book on her hands. "Yeah, that's great."

Ugh. Talk about bookworm.

"Mom, I think you said that to the last five dresses that I tried." I sighed and went back to the fitting room to change back to my own clothes.

"Because you're such a beauty that every dress fits you perfectly, honey." My Mom said and now turned her head away from the book to stare at me and smiled.

I just changed back to my clothes and wandered around aimlessly, trying to find out what to wear for tomorrow, 'til my eyes saw this beautiful, elegant dress.

_Perfect. _I smiled and touched the silk. It was a spaghetti-strapped cocktail dress that's two inches above my knees and at first sight, I could tell that it will fit me.

I went again inside the dressing room to try it on, and just as I thought… It did fit me well. I turned around at the mirror and smiled at my own reflection.

My brown locks of hair shined through the light and my hazel eyes echoed happiness at my mirror-selfed image.

"Fabulous," I muttered under my breath.

But something strange happened. Well, I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I actually am.

I blinked and my image in the mirror changed. My brown hair became black and it became so long that it almost reached my waist, and my face looked paler than before.

I blinked again, and shook my head. _What…?_

What the hell is happening?

I blinked again and saw my own image in the mirror, staring at it, puzzled.

Oh, well. Maybe I am imagining things or some of the sort.

I shrugged and got out and happily turned to get my Mom's attention.

"Mom, lookie here! Lookie look here!" I danced and twisted and turned in front of her just to see why this dress is so beautiful.

She stared at me for a whole minute and then her face broke into a smile. "That's a good dress, honey!"

"Yaay!" I rejoiced and hugged her and she dropped the book, chuckled and hugged me back. "Finally! After six dresses! You finally said something nice!"

She laughed lightly when I dropped my arm and she reached for the book on the floor. "That's really nice, though. Let's buy it."

"Yes, sure!" I sang and headed back to the fitting room, hopping.

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><p>I carefully descended down the stairs for my friends that were waiting for me. Yes. This is it. My special day.<p>

My eighteenth birthday! I am officially now a woman! And my dress looked really awesome.

I smiled so wide at them when I finally reached the bottom of the stairs and I was shocked to see that they were not happy to see me.

"What?" I asked automatically. Aren't we supposed to be enjoying this? You know, it's my birthday today – I mean, tonight. Yeah. We're having dinner here at our house.

"Why black?" It was Nonoko who asked me. "It's your birthday… Yet… Black?"

"Why?" I quirked my brow at her. "Is there something wrong? It looks good and I thought I'd try black – just to be different. Because every year, I would always wear pink or yellow or blue…"

I laughed and so did they.

They just shrugged it off and everyone sang me a "Happy Birthday" song and I was teary-eyed!

"Mikan…" Hotaru suddenly touched my shoulders. "Why are your eyes red? And looked like it's… Swollen?"

"What?" I questioned.

"Did you cry?"

"No." I shook my head. I was nearly – but I did not. Not yet. I felt my eyes slightly stingy – somewhat teary-eyed – but I can't cry. I don't know. I just can't.

I rushed to our bathroom to check my eyes in the mirror. It was fine. Not a single hint of sore eyes. There's nothing wrong. Though I felt wrong.

I don't know. Like there's a heavy feeling on my chest. I don't know why. Maybe I'm nervous because it's my birthday today.

Maybe.

We ate dinner and they would often still ask me about my eyes. I told them I'm fine. Maybe it's the effect of the lights on my brown eyes. I don't know.

But it's still odd. So odd.

My eyes are fine. It's not even itchy. But my chest still feels heavy. Still.

"Let's go bar hopping!" Kitsu remarked after watching a chick-flick movie at our house.

"Yeah!" Koko instantly agreed.

"Sure." I nodded excited of the thought and turned to my Mom who was busy washing the dishes. "Mom, would you mind if we go to the bar?"

"Uh, No." She replied without looking at me. "Sure. You're a grown-up girl now."

I hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Mom."

"You are always welcome, honey. Don't stay too late, though." She smiled and I saw her eyes were red.

"Mom." My forehead creased. "Your eyes."

"What?"

"No." Maybe it really was the chandelier here at our dining area that's causing this eye-color confusion. But I never noticed it before, though. "Nothing." I kissed her on the cheek and I felt the burden on my chest felt heavier than before.

What the heck am I feeling? Why am I feeling this way?

Am I scared because this will be my first time inside a bar? Maybe. And maybe I'm also scared to leave my Mom alone at this time of hour.

I shouldn't have agreed to this. But… Seriously. One night. This will only be one night.

Nothing will happen. Yes.

I gladly made my way back to the living area and smiled at them. "Let's go."

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><p>One of my friends was kind enough to drive me home. And it was none other than my best friend: Hotaru.<p>

I was acting weird at the bar, actually. It wasn't because I get to drink some wine. No. I wasn't tipsy. I'm myself. Or… Maybe that's what I thought.

Hotaru bent over to pick up something that she dropped and I stared at the glass window – horrified. There was a black shadow. Like a girl with long hair.

Or maybe that's my imagination. Again?

"What?" Hotaru broke my reverie.

"I thought I saw a shadow." I laughed sheepishly.

"You saw it, too?" she suddenly asked and then we both knew that there's definitely something wrong.

And I felt this strange feeling that someone's with us. Inside the car. And I was getting goose bumps. She immediately stomped on the gas pedal and drove fast – over the speed limit – and it was two in the morning. No one will notice it, anyway.

And I realized that things right now have been weird since I wore this black dress. I don't know. But. Really. Maybe there's something in this dress. The spirit was using my body to explain something. I don't know what is it.

My chest felt heavier. And I think the spirit of this dress was crying out to me. But… I just can't seem to understand what?

And…

I don't know! I just don't know!

I'm a scaredy-cat. Yes. I am! And of all the people. Why me?

Hotaru stayed with me. She knew me too well. Yes. I'm scared. And I know she's scared, too. She's just careful in showing her true emotions because she knew I'll only feel worse.

The moment we got inside my room, I threw it on my bed and changed for my usual outfit – jeans and a shirt.

The heavy feeling on my chest felt lighter – than before.

"I'm going to throw it out." I told her.

Hotaru was blankly staring at the dress. "No. It might pass on to someone…"

I bit my lip and carried it on my arms as we headed downstairs.

"Burn it." She suddenly suggested.

I nodded, loss of words. My Mom was watching the television and since I got home, I was afraid to tell her. So I just let her watch it. Maybe she's giving me alone time with Hotaru. When I got home, I only greeted her with, "I'm home," and headed upstairs. She didn't even nod. Like she never heard me.

Or maybe she did. She's just too keyed in at watching the TV.

I went out with Hotaru and it was almost three in the morning.

She lit up the candle lighter and threw it on the dress that's on the ground. The wind around us suddenly became colder and it swirled around us, almost wiping the fire out.

When it was burned – as in, it was only ashes and fragments of the mysterious black dress were left, I felt peace. For the first time since wearing it, I felt peace.

I smiled at Hotaru who's clutching my hand and I squeezed it and she smiled back.

Now, I wasn't afraid to tell everything to my mother. Hotaru and I both went in to still see my Mom watching TV and while she's watching, I'm just behind her and told her everything. I think she was listening because she would fidget sometimes when I mention the mysterious black dress.

After everything. After I finished the story, she didn't even react.

Am I that boring? I glanced at Hotaru and she just shrugged.

Then my Mom looked back at us, she twisted her torso to smile at us.

Her eyes were red and swollen and her smile was a terror smile. Her teeth glistened against the light.

Hotaru screamed her high-pitch scream and it was my first time hearing it – and probably the last time.

**THE END**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

**I was reading Philippine Ghost Stories the past few days and I can't help but think, "Can I write a horror story?"**

**Did I scare you guys? HAHAHA. I hope so. ;)**

**Thank you for reading this and please leave a review and tell me what you think. ;)**

**I love all reviews and readers.**

**Thank you.**

_**~ LunarChan **_**(08-02-2011)**


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